You're Safe With Me
by Delena2010
Summary: My take on Season 3, set right after Beside the Dying Fire. Now that they are safe inside the prison, Carol and Daryl will spend a lot more time together instead of just exchanging little glances of each other here and there. Rated M.
1. Chapter 1

**You're Safe With Me**

**Chapter One – Wishful Thinking**

**Carol Peletier P.O.V**

We all have our ways of trusting people. Some of us give our neighbours a key to our homes when they go on holidays. Some place their will into a family members hands for security. Some even share secrets in order to get trust returned to them. Then there are those who cant trust anyone else in life. Because all life has taught them is that trust is a two way street...

I was so upset with Rick for not telling us all about the infection being in all of us. I knew he had kept it secret because he believed he was protecting us all somehow. But to me it just didn't seem right, I wanted a leader who was going to tell us the truth no matter how harsh and cruel it was. I wanted a man of honour and in this group right now there was only one man I believed had honour. And it wasn't who I ever expected it to be, he would have been the last man I would have picked a few weeks earlier. Daryl, he was the only man in the group that I felt in my heart I could trust to tell me the absolute truth.

A few weeks ago I wouldn't have given Daryl a second thought. But since he started searching for Sophia I had felt something for him I never thought I would feel again. There was just something about him, his determination to bring Sophia back to me was extraordinary. He was so sure he was going to find her safe and well. I think back now to that second she stepped out of that barn. I don't think it was just my heart that broke that day. Part of me believed that a part of Daryl broke too.

So here we all were together and out in the woods again. We didn't even have a camp or anything set up around us. All there was were big stone walls that probably made something a long time ago. Maybe a little church or park area, but now there were just broken up stone walls all around us keeping us shelter from the cold night air. Beside me Daryl sat checking over his arrows while I kept myself warm by the fire. Rick had just given the whole group a new reality check and part of me was still angry with him. But the other could see he had a valuable point. We needed to hold together now more than ever before. If we didn't hold together then we were all going to die out here.

Wanting to break the tension I stepped up to my feet and caught Lori's attention. She was sitting across the fire with Carl next to her, he was poking the fire with a stick he had found. Lori looked like she could use a little breathing space herself. I titled my head to a side indicating to her to come along with me and she nodded. Daryl looked up at me as I passed by him, I met his eyes for a second but didn't tell him where we were going. I was surprised he didn't ask me, I think when he saw I wasn't going off by myself he stopped himself.

"How's Carl doing?" I asked a few minutes later as we made our way back up to the road where we parked the cars.

"He's doing alright, I just wish he wasn't carrying that gun around"

"I know" I agreed as we stepped over the railing and onto the road.

"Good thing we packed up the cars for emergencies"

"But what we didn't plan on was bringing more people with us. You think we've got enough to go around tonight?" Lori asked pulling down the trunk door of the pick up.

"We'll make do but if there isn't a gas station near by then the men will have to hunt for something, I don't think we've got much food stored up to last us more than a week"

"Least we got plenty of sleeping supplies for tonight"

"It's something at least, but I don't think anyone will be doing much sleeping tonight in these woods"

"Cant say I blame them, every sound I hear I immediately tense up"

"They'll be plenty awake for watch tonight. Try not to stress yourself Lori if that's possible. Not telling you what to do or nothing but, try and relax for the baby"

Lori patted me on the shoulder and gave me a smile hopefully taking my advice. I knew when I was pregnant that my doctor had to constantly remind me to relax myself, I think that is why Sophia kicked so much when I was carrying her, she felt my worry like it was her own. Hopefully some motherly advice would help Lori sleep tonight. She didn't need anymore stress to what she already had.

"I'm going to put Andrea in my prayers tonight" I shared as I helped unpack the sleeping supplies.

"Me too. Everything just happened so fast tonight"

"I know what you mean, I didn't think I was going to make it out there for a second"

"Yeah I actually meant to ask you earlier. How did you get out? I mean we were together until T-Dog pulled up in the pick up"

"I got chased by walkers to the other side of the barn. I was terrified and so exhausted with the running. Uh it was Daryl that got me out, he must have saw me or something and he got me on the back of his bike and got us out of there"

"Its nice when you know someone has your back isn't it?"

I shrugged innocently "I wouldn't say Daryl has my back, if anything I think he feels sorry for me after everything" I said and felt the pain of losing my baby all over again in that moment.

Lori must have picked up in my pain as she rubbed my back in that moment as I paused in my tracks. Lori had been my rock through all of this. She had a child herself and so understood that deep unbreakable connection to her off spring. That feeling of protector and shield, you would do and say anything to protect this little innocent life even if it means your death instead of them. Sometimes I wish it had been me that died instead of Sophia. But I knew my Sophia was safe and warm in heaven and protected from all of the hell down here where I remained. One day I would see her again, but I knew if she was looking down at me she would want me to fight these walkers and try and build a proper life for myself.

Just then Lori and I heard a sound coming from in front of the truck. We looked over to find Daryl climbing over the road railing with his crossbow slung over his shoulder. Lori returned to fixing the supplies but I kept my eyes on Daryl as he made his way over to us. I wanted to thank him for what he had done tonight and even though Lori was my friend I wished she wasn't here right now.

"You need some help?" Daryl stepped up to the side of the truck next to Lori though he kept his eyes on me.

It was strange it looked like he was relieved to see me again. I had only been gone for five minutes, I guess we were all on edge tonight everyone would be worrying for each other. I was just some crazy lady for thinking that look of relief was just for me.

"I'm going to take this down" Lori picked up two sleeping bags "Get Carl settled and my bed made up next to him" she turned to me "Hopefully he'll get some sleep tonight" she whispered to me.

"I hope so sweetie" I told her before she took off.

"Maybe you should go with her, she shouldn't be carrying stuff"

"Rick's on the other side of the railing he wants to talk to her alone before heading back down"

"They've probably got a lot to discuss"

"None of my business" Daryl said and leaded against the side of the truck.

I went back to looking for supplies for tonight in the many bags we made left in the back of the truck while Daryl kept his eye out for walkers. It felt safer now that he was here, I knew Lori and I carried knives but I knew how skilled Daryl was with his crossbow. You felt like the first lady with her bodyguard next to her when you were alone with him. Or at least I did right now.

"I'm sorry about Andrea"

Daryl turned to me "What do you mean?" he shrugged his shoulders having no clue what I was on about apparently.

"I just thought you two were friends that's all. I mean you were the only one who offered to go back for her today"

"Friends with the bird who shot me? No I don't think so. I just offered because, I don't know, it was the right thing to do I guess"

Believing I had touched a nerve I returned to packing up the supplies finding some blankets and sleeping bags under the bag of canned goods. I needed to make sure there was enough to go around. We didn't want to have anyone going with a blanket especially in the woods, it was already cold enough. And the last thing we needed was a walker coming by because our larger than life fire.

"Feels strange doesn't it?"

"What sleepin in the woods?" Daryl questioned.

"Losing so many people so quickly, guess it is just now sinking in that we could all still lose each other. No one is safe"

"Guess"

"I never got the chance to thank you for coming for me last night. Would have got caught by those walkers if it wasn't for you" I said shutting over the truck door.

"You needed help and I came to find you. Lets not read too much into it" Daryl helped take down the blankets I had packed up on the road.

"I wasn't reading too much into it"

I picked up the remaining blankets and followed behind Daryl back over to the road railing where we had come from. I checked around us but there was no sign of Lori and Rick anywhere. They must have made their way back down to the camp already. Just as I was about to step over to the railing Daryl turned back around facing me.

"You forget something?" I asked him.

"No I just" Daryl looked over his shoulders "I wanted to say to you that you were right" he said.

"About what?"

"About none of us being safe. So just because I helped you tonight doesn't mean you can start counting on me or nothin"

I rolled my eyes "Right I get it. I said one kind word too many and you're putting up your force field again" I said.

Daryl made a habit of doing this. He would do or say one kind thing and then when the kindness was returned to him he would either lash out or put up this force field that no one could get through. I don't think it was something he picked up when all of this crazy mess started, I think he was like this well before it, maybe even his entire life.

I stepped over the railing and headed back towards the camp hearing Daryl curse at himself for some reason as I left him. Maybe he actually felt a sting of guilt if that was possible. He hadn't hurt my feelings I just wish he could accept kindness every once in a while. He did everything for everyone else and never once asked for a thank you. As I headed towards the others I could hear Daryl behind me I could practically feel his breath on the back of my neck he was so close to me.

Everyone seemed a little bit more settled when we got back to the camp. Carl was asleep inside his sleeping bag with Lori rubbing his head and Rick standing across from them talking to the guys about tomorrows plan probably. Daryl placed the blankets he had brought down next to the ones I placed down on the fallen tree log before joining Rick and the others.

Wanting to put my head down for the night I started handing out the blankets and making up the guys beds while they looked over the maps by the fire to get a clear look at what road we would be heading down tomorrow hopefully for gas and more supplies. I gave Maggie enough blankets so she could share with Glen or at least sleep across from him. I put T-Dogs sleeping bag as close to the fire as I could knowing he got really cold during the night. No one would sleep tonight I was sure but I was making up their beds regardless.

I saw Daryl was still talking with the others when it came time for me to make up his bed. I didn't know if he was going to sleep or stay on watch for the rest of tonight. But I made him up his bed and put it just across from mine on the ground. I slipped under my sleeping bag and looked over to Lori who was also just settling down at the same time. We mouthed goodnight to each other and I watched as she settled herself down next to Carl wrapping her arm around him pulling him in closer to her. And just as I was about to settle myself down too I caught Daryl's eye, he was looking up from the map still standing with Glen and Rick. He looked across at me and I couldn't read his expression. I was too tired to have some sort of weird face off with him and so I settled myself back down to the ground using my rolled up cardigan as my pillow tonight.

I shivered inside my sleeping bag as the camp began to camp down and quite everything down. Maybe I was wrong and everyone was going to try and get sleep tonight despite the horrors we had been through. Maybe everyone was so tired after the fight that we just needed to sleep. I hoped at least some of us would sleep tonight, we need full strength again come tomorrow when it was time to move on again.

Beside me I heard a noise and turned my head to a side to find Daryl putting down his crossbow beside me. I looked over to the other side of the camp and found Rick sitting up beside Lori and Carl. I guess he was taking the first watch tonight and would probably ask T-Dog or Daryl to take the few hours leading up to morning. I had serious doubts he would ask Glen as he looked rather snuggled down next to Maggie right now. Despite them being in within walking distance of her father they looked very happy settled together.

I watched Daryl as he settled down across from me under the blankets. He tucked his arm behind his head and closed his eyes.

The camp fell completely silent after a few minutes and I finally closed my eyes over too. I knew I was going to be one of the many people who didn't sleep tonight but I was going to give my eyes a rest even if it was for a few minutes. As I lay there I thought about Daryl and I back up at the truck and how stupid I had been for thanking him. I should have known it was just going to come back and bite me in the butt. I should know Daryl better by now.

"You still awake?" Daryl whispered.

I turned my head to look over at him and found he was already looking over at me. I don't know how long he had been staring at me for but he looked comfortable in his position.

"Yes" I answered.

"Look about what I said"

"We don't have to do this thing" I interrupted him "We're both tired lets just get some rest and forget I said anything" I told him.

"No just hold on"

I met his eyes once more and he turned onto his side and lead up on his elbows.

"What I said earlier bout you dependin on me, I meant what I said you shouldn't depend on me"

"Then I wont" I assured him.

"Christ woman let me get this out" he whispered softly.

I nodded.

We all have our ways of trusting people. Some of us give our neighbours a key to our homes when they go on holidays. Some place their will into a family members hands for security. Some even share secrets in order to get trust returned to them. Then there are those who cant trust anyone else in life. Because all life has taught them is that trust is a two way street...

"All I am saying is, I don't want you dependin on me, hell I don't want no one dependin on me. But I want you to know-"

"What?" I whispered.

"That I'll be there when it matters"

"You're safe with me"

In that moment Daryl filled my heart with much needed faith and hope. He had somehow found a way of taking down his force field tonight. It would stay up for days usually and yet somehow something in him had brought it down. Daryl was right there was no use depending on him or anyone else. But he would be there when it mattered and that I was safe with him. The strangest thing was in that moment as I watched him settle down and close his eyes, I really did feel a wave of security wash over me.

...Yes trust is a two way street. And once we have found that someone willing to travel the road with you. Well thats when everything changes and grows.


	2. Chapter 2

**You're Safe With Me**

**Chapter Two – Start of Something New**

**Carol Peletier P.O.V**

When we are hurt we can trick our minds into believing we can survive anything. But our hearts are harder to convince. We fool ourselves into thinking life can go back to normal, we fool ourselves into thinking that we are happy and we fool ourselves into thinking...

My eyes slowly began to flicker open as I awoke the next morning. I looked up to the sky above and saw blue sky. I decided to enjoy the moment and just lay still for a few minutes. I knew it was only a matter of time before I would have to get up and start my day. I would need to help cook up breakfast and collect all the sleeping bags from last night so we all had room to move around. The morning seemed so peaceful considering what a crazy night we had all had. I guess no one slept through the night so they were sleeping now during the daytime.

I leaded up on my elbows and looked around where we had set up camp last night. Even though the world was coming to an end around us I couldn't help but smile at that particular moment in time. Rick, Lori and Carl were all snuggled up together wrapped in each others arms keeping each other warm through the night. T-Dog was holding onto his coat like a teddy bear, Glen was lying across Maggie's stomach quietly snoring, Hershel and Beth were side by side and settled. That only left one person missing.

I pulled myself up in my sleeping bag and got up to my feet. There was no sign of Daryl anywhere which was surprising to me, if he wasn't here that meant no one was keeping watch over the rest of us. I heard the tiniest of sounds behind me that made all the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. If it was a walker then I was being incredible stupid by standing still like this. I spun around in my feet full of fear and completely unprepared to face my attacker.

There was nothing behind me but a stone wall. I looked up to the top of it and stepped back finding Daryl sitting on top of it, he was wearing the same clothes he had been wearing the previous night and had his crossbow rested on his lap. I guess he thought there was a better look out up there for watch. We didn't have Dale's RV anymore, from what I had been told it had been overrun with walkers and Jimmy had been killed inside of it last night.

It was going to be strange now, not having Dales RV for our lookout point. Then again Andrea wasn't here either and she would usually spend hours watching out for walkers. Although I was so sorry for Andrea and hoped she had found some form of peace. I couldn't help but think back in that moment at the memories of her sitting on top of the RV sunbathing while Lori and I washed her and the rest of the groups clothes and cooked their meals. I wished sometimes she had helped out more with the work and not just sat up there cleaning her gun.

I didn't know what to do or say in that moment. Did Daryl want me to say anything to him? Was there any particular reason he was sitting on the wall right above where I had spent the night sleeping? God what if I had been snoring all night, I bet I had given him a right big laugh. Great now my morning was ruined and it hadn't even started yet.

I turned around and picked my sleeping bag and cardigan off the ground. I slipped them both under my arm and headed in the opposite direction towards the cars. As I was walking past T-Dog pulled himself up and whispered good morning to me as I passed by him. He looked like he had slept through the night and that was something to be grateful for at least.

I made my way back up to the cars to hopefully get some food for breakfast. I hadn't even made it to the road when I heard footsteps behind me. I turned around to find Daryl following behind me. I blushed feeling nervous that he was about to tell me what a loud snorer I was. Why didn't he just shot me with his crossbow and kill me now?

I slipped over the road railings and over to Rick's car where Lori and I had packed away all the canned food Glen had found during his trips to town while we stayed at the farm. Remembering the sunrise back at the farm house in that second made me sad. I would never wake up to that beautiful sight ever again, there were so many things I wasn't going to be able to do in this life now and I should know that by now. This was my life from now on, jumping from one place to another wearing strangers clothes and hiding from the dead. People always say life could be worse, I'd like to see how life could possibly get worse than this.

Daryl went over to his bike while I searched for some food for breakfast. There was some bread that Beth had baked yesterday that we had thankfully packed. I grabbed that along with two bottles of water, some slices of chicken and a can of baked beans. Once there was enough to feed everyone in the group I packed it all away in a separate bag to take back down with me.

I peeked around the side of the car down to where Daryl stood at his bike. He was grabbing arrows from the corner pocket when he paused and straighten himself up only to look over his shoulder in my direction. I quickly ducked back around the car knowing full well he had seen me looking at him. Why was he always catching people when they gave him the tiniest of looks? It was like he had eyes on the back of his head or something.

"You need some help?"

I jumped finding Maggie right next to me suddenly. I had to more on my game here, next time I could very well be a walker.

"If you could take this down" I passed her the bag of food for breakfast "And maybe tell T-Dog we'll need some more fire wood if we're going to have even the slightest chance of cookin up those beans"

Maggie nodded and hooked the bag over her shoulder before disappearing back into the woods towards the camp leaving Daryl and I alone on the road together again. I closed over the trunk of the car and looked over to the other side of the road and smiled finding a waterfall. I walked across the road and over the railing towards it. I knew Maggie was capable of handling the breakfast and Lori would be up too by this point.

I sat down at the corner edge of the river and looked over at the waterfall founding it brought some form of peace. I wasn't too far away from the group so I wasn't in any sort of danger. Plus I had my knife tucked onto my belt if I needed it. Sometimes I needed to take some time away from the group for a little while. Time to think about my life and its new direction and of course my baby Sophia who I missed every second of the day, especially right now as she would have loved this water, she would have went swimming and begged me to watch her jump in again and again.

"What are you doin?"

I looked over my shoulder to find Daryl standing behind me.

"Taking five minutes to myself before breakfast"

"You really shouldn't be out here alone. Just sayin"

"I know I shouldn't but couldn't resist" I said gazing over at the waterfall once more "Sometimes we have to take five minutes just to be human again and not just survivors"

"We are human we're just different now" Daryl to my surprise sat down next to me.

"Well I feel like more of a survivor now then anything else. Well actually last night I felt like I was dead with those walkers after me"

"Why didn't you turn and fight?"

I smiled "Because Rambo not all of us know how to fight" I shrugged "That and the fact that my arms and legs were going to jelly with every step I took" I admitted.

"Then why didn't you take part in the gun training?"

"Horrible thing to say after everything but I wasn't a big fan of Shanes. After we got to the farm he was so different"

"Could have asked Rick"

"Rick's got enough to deal with, besides have you seen me? If I shot a walker the kick back from the gun would push me to the ground too"

"Naw you're not so bad"

I may have been wrong but I think Daryl just paid me a compliment. I fought back my smile then knowing that would officially push him over the edge.

"You know I could always show you" I looked over to him "Once we're all more settled and stuff. And if you're not a pain in the ass and give me grief about being tired"

"So you'll help if I keep my mouth shut?"

Daryl almost smiled himself but stopped it before it became full.

"We'll need everyone carrying guns now with us out in the opening like this" Daryl said.

"We better find a better place soon"

"I'm heading out after I eat something. Gonna try find some fuel station and a better place for us to hold up for the night"

"You're going out by yourself?"

"Bikes still got plenty of gas in it"

"Ok" I said as I got back up to my feet.

I turned back to head towards the road, Daryl wasn't following me this time so I turned back around to him and watched him sit there peacefully.

"Did I snore last night?" I called over to him.

"What?" Daryl looked over at me.

I shrugged "Did I snore?" I repeated.

"No you just mumbled a lot"

"Oh" I nodded and kicked a stone under my shoe "What did I mumble?" I asked.

Daryl scratched his head "Uh something about a frying pan bein useless" he explained.

"Yeah that sounds like me" I whispered and a wave of relive washed over me.

When we are hurt we can trick our minds into believing we can survive anything. But our hearts are harder to convince. We fool ourselves into thinking life can go back to normal, we fool ourselves into thinking that we are happy and we fool ourselves into thinking...

Well one thing was for sure and certain. Daryl had obviously sat in the same place all night since he heard me mumble that. I knew Glen snoring was incredibly loud, so Daryl must have been pretty close to me if he heard the slightest mumble.

...that we don't need him. Yes we are all fools, especially at the starting line of something new.


End file.
